What are your thoughts on coring systems? Are they worth it if you aren't making lots of bowls. Do you have one that you don't use? I probably don't need another tool 'on the shelf'. If I am going to get one, I would like to use it with some regularity. I generally seem to find access to wood pretty easily. Thanks for sharing.

I think I would like to get one even if I am not using it regularly. Some of my larger bowl blanks I think I could get another 2 smaller bowls from the core instead of growing 4” in height standing on the wood chips from hogging it out.

There are also hand-held coring tools that would be a less expensive option. You can make straight cuts only, that would produce a cone shaped piece. JoHannes Michelsen and Sorby both make versions. Michelsen has a short video on his website.

I prefer this over the other systems because the operator can control the shape of the cores. There are also different size ranges of cutters.When I bought mine years ago I bought the "standard" size cutters. I have since bought the mini (next size smaller) cutters. These work great and I find them to be a little easier on the lathe. The standard cutters work fine but you can stall the lathe pretty easy taking a bigger cut. It really depends on the size blanks you typically turn. If your in the 14-16 range, maxing out the lathe, the standard cutter might be better. If your in the 10-12 inch range the smaller cutters are fine.

As far as how often you use it or is it worth it, I look at it this way. Each blank you core you're saving at least about 40-50 percent. You can recoup your money with a small number of cores. For example, If you purchase an exotic blank, you start to look at it in terms of "well $60 is expensive but I can get three bowls from it" So now you go from one $100 bowl to one $100 bowl, plus one $75 bowl, plus one $50 bowl. or the whole matched set for $250.I core anything from about 8" diameter x 3" thick on up. You can core smaller if you and the wood want to. Even small blanks are great to core, I keep the centers for inlays or box lids, there are lots of possibilities.I find it's simple to just drop it in the banjo and your ready to core, nothing to set up. Just decide on your cutter, line it up and go.I'm sure others will offer more suggestions, hope this helps.This is all JMO

If you sell bowls, then a coring system is some thing that pays for itself, in very short order. I don't really think that they save a lot of time in turning, other than the core is already shaped so there is minimal roughing to do. I do prefer 2 hp for the coring systems, but your Jet will do fine, but you wouldn't be able to hog things out.

The Oneway and Woodcut are both on pivoting centers and are almost idiot proof (engineer's conundrum: you can never invent some thing that is idiot proof because as soon as you do, some one else invents a better idiot). The Oneway is rock solid all the way out to the end of the largest coring blade which is 8 or 9 inch radius, can't remember. There is a support finger that advances in about 2 inch increments as you core, so you have to stop the lathe a couple of times during each core. The Woodcut has 3 blades which are supported by a plate that goes on the tailstock. I haven't tried the new big blade, but I did get some chatter with the smaller blades when coring Osage, so mostly you go a little slower.

Then there is the McNaughton. Every one who has used it, or tried to, swears at it. Those that know how to use it swear by it. I could probably turn and core 2 sets of bowls in less time with the McNaughton than I could one set of bowls with either of the other systems. There is a learning curve, and it is best to have some one walk you through it a few times at first. I have a video up on using it on You Tube, and Dale Bonertz, who has a some what similar approach to it also has a video up on using it.

Jenny, I have both the McNaughton and the Oneway. I bought the McNaughton many years ago and have never really learned how to use it successfully. I have had some success with it with wet wood but not much success with dry wood. Like Robo said you either swear at it or by it. The learning curve is very long.

About six months ago I got bought the Oneway Coring System and have been very pleased with the way it works. As Robo says, it is pretty foolproof. I really like it and use it all of the time.

You might want to see if there is anyone in your area that uses either one and check out how they work and give each a try.